TELEPRESENCE IN POPULAR CULTURE

A study of portrayals of presence

Bicentennial Man (1 of 2)

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ABOUT THE WORK

MEDIUM:

Film 

YEAR:

1999 

WRITER(S):

Based on the book by Isaac Asimov 

OWN COPY?

YES 
 

ABOUT THE STORY

SUMMARY:

A robot shows human characteristics from the start, making social relationships through three generations as he pursues his humanity. 

ERA/YEAR:

Near Future and Distant Future 

CHARACTERISTICS
OF WORLD:

There are robots, virtual technologies, etc. 
 
ABOUT THE PRESENCE-EVOKING TECHNOLOGY
NAME:
Robots, two-way video, 3-D and virtual technologies 
DESCRIPTION:
A robot that becomes increasingly human in physical characteristics 
NATURE OF TASK OR ACTIVITY:
The robot is at first assistive in physical tasks to human and more and more emotionally attached and interactive 
PERFORMANCE OF THE TECHNOLOGY:
The robot goes through various stages of physical and emotional development, eventually taking on human characteristics 
 
ABOUT THE CREATORS OF THE TECHNOLOGY
DESCRIPTION:
Corporation represented by man in his 40s-50s 
MAJOR GOAL(S):
To create a robot to assist human in tasks 
 
ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCE PRESENCE
DESCRIPTION:
Man and two women in their 30s-50s; child 
 
ABOUT THE PRESENCE EXPERIENCE
TYPE(S) OF PRESENCE:
Yes. The robot is perceived as sociable, sensitiv 
DESCRIPTION:
Medium as Social Actor. The characters get the sense that the robot is increasingly human 
USER AWARENESS:
The characters are at first aware that the robot is not human but as his phycial and social characteristics become more human-like, they are more and more unaware 
VALENCE:
The characters interact with the robot in different ways which result in different feelings -- happiness, sadness, frustration, anger, comraderie, etc. One female lead character event enters a love relationship with the robot 
SPECIFIC RESPONSES:
The characters are at first suspicious of the robot; they become more curious about his humanity as he takes on physcial and social characteristics that are more human-like; ultimately the robot is recognized formally as a social entity 
 
ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF PRESENCE
LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES:
The robot shows the world that he is human in the ways that matter and it formally accepted as a social being 
 
AND FINALLY...
OTHER INFORMATION:
 
CODER NAME:
Melissa Selverian 
CODER E-MAIL:
 
CODER AFFILIATION:
 
DATE CODED:
9/11/2001 

 


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